


Reponi

by rubychan05



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Getting Together, Jealousy, M/M, Pre-Slash, Sherlock Being an Idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-18 01:54:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3551669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubychan05/pseuds/rubychan05
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Craig evidently passes the test, as Sherlock then proceeds to stick to him like glue every time they share a crime scene. John’s delighted at first – Sherlock! Making friends! – but as time wears on he can’t help the feeling of unease that springs up. Sherlock no longer pretends he needs John when examining bodies and John becomes painfully aware that he’s merely ornamental now, standing on the sidelines and waiting for Sherlock to finish so they can go home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reponi

When Sherlock starts talking to Lestrade’s newest officer, John can’t help but be pleased. As much as he loves being Sherlock’s sole confidante, there are times when he just wants to be able to amble along at his own pace. To share a cup of instant coffee with Lestrade and not have to abandon it in order to run after Sherlock. He wouldn’t change Sherlock for the world; he just wishes he’d bloody _slow down_ once in a while.

Craig is fresh out of uniform, with a kind of brittle naivety about him that refuses to shatter no matter what he sees on the job. He’s also, to be unkind, a bit too fashionable for his own good. On first seeing him, John takes one look at his tailored suit (complete with silk tie) and waits for the inevitable insults that are sure to fly out of Sherlock’s mouth. It’s another Anderson situation just waiting to happen.

Instead, Sherlock shocks them all by asking Craig for his opinion on the crime scene. And then, seemingly unaware of Lestrade choking on his coffee, proceeds to spend the next twenty minutes talking excitedly to Craig, discussing blood spatter patterns in detail and letting out crows of delight every time he proves he’s not an idiot.

Craig evidently passes the test, as Sherlock then proceeds to stick to him like glue every time they share a crime scene. John’s delighted at first – Sherlock! Making friends! – but as time wears on he can’t help the feeling of unease that springs up. Sherlock no longer pretends he needs John when examining bodies and John becomes painfully aware that he’s merely ornamental now, standing on the sidelines and waiting for Sherlock to finish so they can go home. When he tentatively brings the issue up with Sherlock, the detective just stares at him before shrugging carelessly. John has a point, he agrees. Might as well stay home from now on.

The rejection hurts. Much more than John ever expected it to. John pours his energy into his day job instead, and tries to pretend he doesn’t care. Which actually works surprisingly well…at least until he comes back from the surgery late one evening to find Sherlock and Craig on the sofa, seemingly engrossed in one of those police procedurals America keeps churning out.

Sherlock doesn’t even _like_ police procedurals.

Craig starts coming over most evenings, bringing Chinese for two and making Sherlock endless cups of tea. John starts feeling a bit redundant and ends up spending the majority of his time in his room, staring at his suddenly empty blog and wondering what he can write about now. He hadn’t realised quite how much of his blog had been devoted to the other man, how much of his life revolved around Sherlock. It’s a little embarrassing in hindsight.

After a month of feeling like an intruder in his own home, John finally snaps.

“I’ve been thinking Sherlock…perhaps it would be best if I moved out.”

Sherlock’s head jerks up from his book and John is mildly satisfied that he can still shock Sherlock Holmes.

“I’m sorry? I wasn’t aware that things had progressed so far with the lovely Sarah.”

“What? What are you…this has nothing to do with Sarah. We’re just not getting along as flatmates anymore. There’s no point living together if we don’t talk to each other, so I’m leaving.”

Sherlock slumps back into his chair, covering his eyes with one hand and sighing heavily.

“This isn’t what the magazine said would happen.” He says balefully. John blinks.

“Excuse me? Did you just say what I think you said?” He chokes out. Sherlock uncovers one eye, gazing mournfully at John’s chest.

“ _Cosmopolitan_ said that the best way of getting someone’s attention was to make them jealous. But now you’re leaving.”

John stares, barely able to comprehend what Sherlock is saying. Sherlock was trying to make him jealous? Then did that mean…

“Sherlock, were you just using Craig to make me jealous?”

A nod.

“But why? Why would you need to…” John pauses, eyes widening as another thought comes to him. “Sherlock, do you like me?”

Another nod, more reluctant this time. John sighs and shakes his head, crossing the room to perch on the arm of Sherlock’s chair.

“Do me a favour Sherlock.” He murmurs, lacing their fingers together and smiling as Sherlock jerks in surprise. “Don’t get any more relationship advice from magazines.”

“But I…”

“You could have just asked, you know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Reponi should be Latin for 'replaced'. Unless I've been trolled. In which case, bravo Google.
> 
> Find me on Tumblr under [rubychan05](http://rubychan05.tumblr.com/).


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